Parachute apparatus



p 23, 1952 J. R. c. QUILTER 2,611,565

PARACHUTE APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig! A Tram/5X5 S p 3; 1952 'J. R. c. QL IILTER I 2,611,565

PARACHUTE APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 d ,M m

. P 1952 J. R. c. QUILTER 2,611,565

PARACHUTE APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5y MAW A free/vim Patented Sept. 23, 1952 um'reo' PATENT- H. 1 1. 7 I v emefim Ai rlimiitfisi" rate item a c wter voaiuai;

Wailing; England iiiiiiiit'ii state, 17, 1951, Serial 190,251,721 In Grea'ItBi'itain @3950 l i'cl'iiil; (0x244 1133 v 1 This invention relates w par and more particularly tq pp ployed forretardin'gfaircreft efor v other times' accordingto the i df e pilot, for example in crd "'s The inventionha vide an improvegljpaf foruse asabraking oryetajfrii g-devi i v w k tion with modern high'fispe'ed ma in :s'ftha ey may be landed safely withouerequin'fig eii'ces sively long runways? r Another object ieto pri" ratus'for this-puifpos eg which a he stoweq-in relatively'small spacealiid erougm rite-operation when required" by" ej' t1 through a'relati vely na A further'object of te apparatus for thisjpu ose which onipr es 'a plurality of parachut'es' 'corhing into a'tio'ri s'ii cessively. I i 7 Other objects andadvahtae wur api eerhe e; inafter from the following'* decript1on"oaFIfieferred embodiment, given with reference m me accompanying drawings, in whicht' I Fig. 1 shows-a cpmamerremn mem -p ra chute, provided with a flejfi haiv'ifi'g et' riiifg ldop for the attachment cable fidw't e 'carfier flap for the pilot parachute "o Fi'g 21s with the main paraciiu t I ging lines being erigagebwwitit the piqsu so as to formaiatchingfideiiic angij'the able being stowediii'itsreteinihg loepsi parachute is' f olded' and wrapped meme -its ca-f rier flap.

Fig. 3 is a siinilafviewwfthe eofit'aifiei with the-cable-fittedfla-p wean around F M a ramifie t. with thepilot parachute I in' 'one-directionjand the c ble T the 'ODPOSifiBIdiifBbtiOfiQ withdrawn frOinf'it'S-T gaining unlatching of thefc t' ofthemain parachute V p In mypricar 'Batent-NQ 396,1'2" j 5,' 1946(1 have des'crihed a' pairachute-p k n: which the parachute canopy and shroud 'listowed in a container which is se'cii craft by xifi elm ia frangible connection to'an anc rag wi hi the container; and the shroud llineshein t ed} upon a flap permanentlis'ecu closing thecontai'n l I intended for" a parachute car (time i '55 a nri'r'emain tacheciitheretfd while we avin t m re en in i1 ee fih t in a p ratu para hut wed rracontainer-t v I I V eans foif maintain 1 cdiitgiiir' normally clogged, 1nd an inter caible' siecurdiat one emito hegrear o' f th cifa tend cbnnect qfa its o end 'tdui z' gg line's; "f hf fiarachu H 'cable-heingfdetachably mount up iii-the" conta ner-ari sewi g whrf the latter" is thrown ifiomi 'the' aiifcreft, to open the container foi eitrfabtion og-"the pitta- 0H 5; confirmed 1 1111 of the cable upan'tu'e' rig-' rfi 1ms In the lluis't atea embodiment of thinvntion', the parachute c'anopy m 1 contained iii a' bag l"!- of approximately" rectangular =-hape; madeof suitabletiitil materiel; thebody ofi the-pesos pfoviiieiiwith may of erm-closureflaps" l-Z, haIV- ifi" heels-oi; their oiite 'ces anda pair-oi si'de c15einaps-|;4;-rem 'with slots l-S to m 0'? me-19am '13 in the closed positiowwhen'the pa 'hut'e ID has been stowedg-the bag bing thn latbhedhyniean's' of the' ri gin1ine= m as seen ii -nigi-z. From one ofthe side -flaps 1 fl 'thefe eitei'ids' enoth er' ap 1-in eouunuauon:oraoneor thesiiiemee's of bag' -tnishapibeihgcream-v ci'ent length' to w ap around-the ag'- eZnd-proi ide ariiTovrlap'j -this" flap 'se'r ves' -fo th supportof 2; 8'whichis 'securedatone-end. to'ithe-rrearl 1mm; as y means of a; shaekle- =I Blend ected atits' other end w the rigging dines: l6. The-portiorilo'f' the linesieinerging fromthe bag 'l l beneath-thesio eisureifi pg M is doubled:' to twobii-iiches" ISA an l'fiB which are insrtedlfitotiiflrspective loop' -j 3 ab6ii the'side under retaiijing Ioo1521 arranga towariisioppoa site" edg s" of theiflalp in the marine ranary: fdr'fstcWirig paraohute rigging 1i paekthe"l'oop'21 biiig o'n the flap 22 of trapezoidal or triangular shape, having a length about half that of the flap ii and extending from a longitudinal corner 23 of the bag so that it can be wrapped partly around the latter; this flap 22 forms a carrier for a pilot parachute or drogue 24, which is preferably of the vane-fitted type, as seen in Fig. 4, but not necessarily provided with an opening spring. In packing the container, this pilot parachute or drogue will be folded loosely upon the adjacent end of the carrier flap 22 and then placed over the closed and locked flaps l2, l4 and the bunched lines It, the flap 22 wrapping over the pilot parachute so as to protect it against chafing by the cable l8 when the flap is rolled around the outside.

In the final closed position, as shown in Fig. 3,

the flap I1 is rolled up into substantially cylindrical shape and its overlapping end is latched in place by means of a loop stitched upon the outside of the flap and arranged to project through an eyelet 26 at the end of the rolled up flap; the loop 25 is then engaged by a pin 21 upon a final locking wire 28, which is secured to the shackle 19. This final lock is intended for transit purposes only, in order to prevent unrolling of the flaps, but the pin 21 will be released from the loop 25 before the apparatus is installed upon an aircraft; should the pin be left in looking engagement with the loop, it will be withdrawn automatically by the pull of the wire 28, which is made shorter than the length of cable is projecting from the packed container.

When the container is thrown from the aircraft, either by hand or mechanically, as by the explosion of a cartridge or the release of a spring ejection device, the pull of the cable [8 will first release the locking pin 27 if still in place, and then cause the flap I! to unroll and release the carrier flap 22 and pilot parachute 24. Thereupon the cable l8 gradually disengages itself from the retaining loops or pockets upon the opened flap 11, while the pilot parachute acts as a drogue to check the motion of the container; When the cable 18 is wholly released from its flap l7, it pulls upon the rigging lines l6, first withdrawing their bunched portions from the loops 13 so as to unlatch the container, the latter then opening for extraction of the main parachute canopy In by the continued pull of the cable 18.

The empty container ll may remain attached to the main parachute so that the pilot or drogue 24 and the container assist the main parachute in retarding the aircraft, the three pulling in series against it by means of the intermediate cable l8; alternatively, the empty container ll may be carried oif by the pilot parachute so as to be clear of the aircraft in landing, the container being wholly free from the main parachute after the latter has been extracted from it or being connected thereto only by a frangible tie which yields to the pull of the pilot parachute upon the empty container. I

In an alternative arrangement, the flap i! may be dispensed with, the cable l8 being coiled around the bag I 1 containing the main parachute and its rigging lines l6 so as to maintain the bag closed; frangible ties or the like may be provided for holding the cable in place during transit. The pilot parachute 24 may have either a flap 22 or an attachment cord similarly coiled around the bag, its end portion adjacent to the parachute being attached to the bag I l by frangible ties or the like for holding it in place during transit. With this arrangement, the frangible 4 ties will give way as soon as the container is thrown from the aircraft and the opening of the pilot parachute 24 will cause the bag l I to unroll as it winds off the pilot parachute flap or cord, the cable I8 being payed out at the same time until its whole length has been unwound and the latching device released, the bag being thus left open for the withdrawal of the main para:

chute and its'rigging lines.

It is also possible to employ the main parachute alone, its container H being provided with the flap I! for retaining the cable ill but without the second flap or drogue carrier 22; in this case,

the resistance of the air to the container II,

when thrown from the aircraft, must be sufiicient to ensure the unlocking and opening of the container.

In some cases, more than two parachutes may beprovided, coming into operation successively; for example the bag or container may itself be arranged to form a parachute intermediate between the pilot parachute and the main parachute, the sizes of the three parachutes being graduated and their deployment controlled so that the larger ones come into action after preliminary retardation of the aircraft by the smaller one or ones. For the same purpose, two or more main parachutes, each with its respective container, may be provided so as to form a chain of retarding parachutes, the deployment of one parachute causing the release of the latching device upon another container.

The improved apparatus not only acts as an aerodynamic brake for retarding the aircraft but also forms an anti-spin device. It will be noted that the flap I! protects the container and parachutes against accidental damage in handling or in transit, and also against damage when in position upon the aircraft; the combination of the attachment flap 22 and the vane-fitted auxiliary parachute 24 gives protection against the latter becoming fouled with the cable or container.

What I claim is:

1. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute canopy having rigging lines secured thereto, a cable having one extremity attached to said rigging lines, a, container for said canopy, a flap attached to said container, means for retaining said cable in stowed condition upon said flap, said flap with said cable stowed thereon being rollable around said container, and means for locking said flap rolled up around said container with the other extremity of said cable projecting beyond said flap.

2. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute canopy having rigging lines secured thereto, a cable having one extremity attached to said rigging lines, a container for said canopy, closure meansfor said container, means for latching said closure. means by said rigging lines, a flap attached to said container, means for retaining said cable in stowed condition upon said flap, said flap with said cable stowed thereon being rollable around said container, and means for locking said flap rolled up around said container with the other extremity of said cable projecting beyond said flap. 7

3. Parachute apparatus comprising a, parachute canopy having rigging lines secured thereto, a cable having one extremity attached to said rigging lines, a container for said canopy, a flap attached to said container, means for retaining said cable in stowed condition upon said flap,

said flapwith said cable stowed thereon being rollable around said container, and means for locking said flap rolled up around said container with the other extremity of said cable projecting beyond said flap, saidlocking means being released by tension upon the projecting extremity of said cable. v

4. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute canopy having rigging lines secured thereto, a cable having one extremity attached to said rigging lines, a, container for said canopy, closure means for said container, means for latching said closure means by said rigging lines, a flap attached to said container, means for retaining said cable in stowed condition upon said flap. said flap with said cable stowed thereon being rollable around said container, and means for locking said flap rolled up around said container with the other extremity of said cable projecting beyond said flap, said locking means being released by tension upon the projecting extremity ,of said cable.

5. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute canopy having rigging lines secured thereto, a cable having one extremity attached to said rigging lines, a container for said canopy, closure means for said container, means for latching said closure means by said rigging lines, a flap attached to said container, means for retaining said cable in stowed condition upon said flap, said flap with said cable stowed thereon being rollable around said container, and means for locking said flap rolled up around said container with the other extremity of said cable projecting beyond said .flap. said locking means being released by tension upon the projecting extremity of said cable, and said latching means being released by tension exerted upon said rigging lines by said cable after withdrawal of said cable from said retaining means.

6. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute canopy having rigging lines secured thereto, a cable having one extremity attached to said rigging lines, a container for said canopy, a flap attached to said container, means for retaining said cable in stowed condition upon said flap, a second flap attached to said container, a pilot parachute secured to the free extremity of said second flap, said second flap with said pilot parachute iolded thereon being rollable partly around said container, the first-mentioned flap with said cable stowed thereon being rollable around said container externally of said second flap, and means for locking said flaps rolled up around said container with the other extremity of said cable projecting beyond said flaps.

'7. Parachute apparatus comprising a main parachute canopy having rigging lines secured thereto, a cable having one extremity attached to said rigging lines, a rectangular container for said main parachute canopy, said container including closure flaps, means for latching said closure flaps by said rigging lines, two flaps secured along parallel lines upon said container, means for retaining said cable in stowed condition upon one of said two flaps, a pilot parachute secured to the free extremity of the other of said two flaps, said other flap with said pilot parachute folded thereon being rollable partly around said container, said one flap with said cable stowed thereon being rollable around said container externally of said folded pilot parachute and said other flap, and means for maintaining said two flaps rolled up around said container.

8. Parachute apparatuscomprising a rectangular container made of flexible material and gates longerof said two flaps, amain parachuteeanopy ,stowedin said container, me'ans'for retaining said overlapping flaps closed over the stowed main parachute canopy with its rigging lines projecting outside'said container, the projecting rigging lines latching said retaining means, one extremity of said cable being attached to said projecting rigging lines, and said two flaps with said pilot parachute folded upon said shorter flap and said cable stowed in the looped tapes upon said longer flap being rolled around said container with said longer flap outside said shorter flap.

9. Parachute apparatus comprising a main parachute canopy having rigging lines secured thereto, a cable having one extremity attached to said rigging lines, a rectangular container for said main parachute canopy, said container including closure flaps, means for latching said closure flaps by said rigging lines, two flaps secured along parallel lines upon said container, means for retaining said cable in stowed condition upon one of said two flaps, the other of said flaps being of trapezoidal shape tapering from a wide end secured to said container to a relatively narrow width at its free extremity, a pilot parachute secured to the free extremity of said other flap, said other flap with said pilot parachute folded thereon being rollable partly around said container, said one flap with said cable stowed thereon being rollable around said container externally of said folded pilot parachute and said other flap, and means for maintaining said two flaps rolled up around said container.

10. Parachute apparatus comprising a rectangular container made or flexible material and including overlapping flaps for closing one side, two flaps of difierent lengths secured along parallel lines upon said container, the longer of said two flaps having looped tapes extending along its opposite sides, a pilot parachute secured to the free extremity of the shorter of said two flaps, a cable stowed in the looped tapes upon the longer of said two flaps, a main parachute canopy stowed in said container, means for retaining said overlapping flaps closed over the stowed main parachute canopy with its rigging lines projecting outside said container, the projecting rigging lines latching said retaining means, one extremity of said cable being attached to said projecting rigging lines, and said two flaps with said pilot parachute folded upon said shorter flap and said cable stowed in the looped tapes upon said longer flap being rolled around said container with said longer flap outside said shorter flap, and said parallel lines being spaced apart by a side of said container adjacent to said one side, whereby the successive unrolling of said flaps from around said container exposes said one side for withdrawal of said main parachute canopy by tension of said cable and rigging lines.

11. Brake apparatus for retarding aircraft, comprising a parachute canopy, rigging lines secured to said canopy, a container for said canopy, a flexible cable secured at one end to said rigging lines, and means connected to the other end of said cable 'for attachment to an aircraft, said cable being so mounted on said container as to maintain it normally closed but adapted to open said container whensubjected to tension.

12. Brake apparatus for use in landing aircraft, comprising a parachute of material suiiiciently strong to withstand the high stresses imposed upon it in use and including rigging lines, a parachute pack within which said parachute is housed, a protective flap attached at one end to said pack and adapted to fold around said pack, at least one cable provided at one end with means for 10 for normally retaining said cable thereon and adjacent to said container.

JOHN RAYMOND CUTHBERT QUIL'IER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

